Courtney Melancon’s Story
June 29, 2024
00:26:00
Hannah’s Heart is a half hour program to encourage couples walking through infertility and miscarriage. It’s about clinging to Christ, the ultimate hope and finding peace and joy in the midst of the journey. Hosted by AFA’s very own Anne Cockrell and Kendra White.
Courtney always wanted to be a mama. And not long after she got married, she saw those two pink lines! But all the joyous celebration came crashing down one night when she had an early miscarriage. She was filled with anger towards God and had so many questions. And yet…by the grace of God she found a power not her own to sustain her and help her find peace and acceptance.
Austin Brooks and his wife Emily are passionate about adoption and have adopted two precious children of their own. So naturally, they were heartbroken when they learned about how many babies are abandoned in the United States every year. But fortunately, there is now a secure, safe way for women who find themselves in unwanted pregnancies to legally surrender their newborns anonymously so they can be placed with loving adoptive families. As the director of American Family Studios, Austin produced a powerful documentary about a ministry called Safe Haven Baby Boxes and worked hard in his own community to bring one of these boxes to a fire station in Tupelo, Ms. https://www.shbb.org
After years of infertility, the Hursts were overjoyed to find out that Sheila was pregnant! But everything came crashing down when they discovered the pregnancy was ectopic and Sheila’s life was in danger. The Hursts share how they turned their own grief into a ministry of prayer and fasting for other couples. They also talk about their journey to discover natural procreative technology– a process that finally led to treatment of underlying medical issues. They are still waiting for God to show them the next steps in their story and are actively waiting on a God of miracles.
“Unexplained infertility” is a frustrating diagnosis. Just ask the Hurst family! Having completed six failed cycles of IUI, this precious couple faced so much pressure on their marriage and was left disappointed and filled with so many questions for the God they’ve always loved and served. Their journey of faith is a powerful testimony you won’t want to miss!
Christian couples who are praying about doing IVF have a lot to think about. One ethical dilemma that often comes up is the industry push for genetic testing of embryos. But what is PGT-A? Is it reliable and most importantly….is it ethical? Rejoice Fertility Medical Director Dr. John Gordon joins the ladies of Hannah’s Heart to break down this very important issue!
Because of some health concerns from her doctor, Olivia was told she should not pursue having another biological baby. After handling that devastating news, she and her husband, Chris knew they still wanted to grow their family. The Lord laid Foster Care on their hearts, and their lives have been changed ever since. They've gone through ups and downs, but now are in the process of their second adoption through Foster Care. Join us as Olivia shares her heart on how God’s plans are always better than our own.
Tackling foster care with a significant other is a challenge in itself, but being willing to commit to foster care as a single lady is a whole other commitment. Lane put her worries aside and trusted in Jesus to see her through what she thought would be a temporary thing, but turns out it was forever 💙 Listen and be encouraged as you hear how Lane leaned on the Lord (and her sweet support system) to see her through.
Mother’s Day is an important day to honor all the hard-working moms out there. But when your heart desperately longs to be a mom, that day is filled with grief and overwhelming moments of emotion. How do we honor God and other moms in the midst of so much pain? Jade joins Anne and Kendra for this very special discussion packed with powerful truths from God’s word.
From empty arms….to 5 boys in about 3 years! Kristen Meeks and her husband had no idea that saying yes to God would bring five of the most wild, hilarious and precious gifts they would ever receive. May is Foster Care Awareness month! Keep listening for more episodes from amazing foster families.
Foreign Adoption is not for the faint of heart–long waits, crazy and eye-opening trips to foreign countries, culture shock and a lot of transitions. But it’s also one of the most rewarding and beautiful experiences of a lifetime. Jessica and Spencer Gray share about their amazing trips to South Korea and the miraculous story of God’s sustaining power that brought their miracle daughter Evelyn into their lives. You can listen to part one of of Jessica and Spencer’s story here:
https://afr.net/podcasts/hannah-s-heart/2022/05-may/jessica-spencer-s-story/
Paige Curbow was a planner. But after years of trying to conceive, nothing was going according to plan! It wasn’t until one summer when she said “Ok, God not my way but…. yours” that things started happening. On a busy church van filled with youth, a random chaperone announced “Does anyone know someone who needs a baby?” And the miracle story started to unfold!
When you’re trying to have a baby, it’s easy to let your heart get carried away daydreaming of the “one days” and thinking of future baby names. But infertility is cruel and living in a fallen, broken world constantly reminds us that nothing— not even having children is for certain.
But one thing in this world is constant. You can take it to the bank. God is faithful, loving, merciful and just and His character and nature will not change. In this episode, Anne and Kendra start a new series exploring the Hebrew names of God and the powerful eternal truth wrapped up in each name/title. Truths that can carry you through any disappointment or season of life.
Show notes: https://www.amazon.com/gp/buy/thankyou/handlers/display.html?purchaseId=106-8148531-0687469&ref_=chk_typ_browserRefresh&isRefresh=1
The amazing ladies from Foreknown Ministries are back again to share a powerful new resource. This 30 day guide through grief and loss is perfect for any woman who has suffered miscarriage or infant loss and it’s written by women who have been there and get it. There is joy after loss!
In the middle of a long and painful journey with infertility, it’s easy to get stuck feeling sorry for yourself all the time. Many couples find it helpful to stop and recognize another person's pain and suffering and look for ways to serve them. In this episode, Hannah Meador discusses the evil world of sex trafficking and how Christians should get involved in this fight for freedom.
Mary Matt was thrilled to find out she was expecting twins! But unfortunately, one of her precious babies passed away mid pregnancy. This episode discusses the mixture of joy and grief and the power of God to sustain a momma through every high and low. Mary is filled with compassion and encouragement for other momma’s of sunrise/sunset twins or mamas facing any kind of infant loss.
Many guests on our show share about their long and difficult journeys with infertility and the various creative ways God ends up building their family. But sometimes it’s nice to hear from someone who is still in the middle of their story. Lauren Watson is a returning guest here to share an update on the long and tedious season of testing as she waits on the Lord every step of the way.
No matter how old your baby is when you lose them, it’s excruciating. Joy Lucius shares about losing her adult son Chris after a long battle with cancer, and Anne discusses the similarities and differences of losing an infant son. But the answer to finding hope to push through the grief is the same: Jesus.
Julia Crouch never became a mom and to be honest, the ache of wanting a child never fully went away. But God showed up in her life in an incredible way giving her true joy and purpose to help her walk through the grief and learn to depend on Him fully to sustain her weary soul.
Tamah and her family were excited to welcome their second baby girl! Everything felt completely “fine” until sweet Amelia came into the world. Tamah’s doctor, who was also her best friend, was scared to tell Tamah, “your baby girl has Down syndrome.” However, when she did, Tamah didn’t let worry steal her JOY from her perfectly made baby girl! This is their little story of a little girl with a very big, happy heart!
Infertility typically adds so much stress to a marriage. And sadly many marriages do not survive after the tragedy of miscarriage or child loss. BUT GOD is rich in mercy and more than able to use these challenges to strengthen your relationship with Him and each other. It IS possible to not only get through these difficulties but also to find joy in the midst of your sorrow and the strength to serve each other through tough times.
